Professor Abdul Bari ‘s tomb is bedsheeted in layers of dust, very much like his accomplishment: unsung, ignored, awaiting a long pending ballad.
The author Afroz Alam Sahil declutters the mess, organises facts with a sequential timeline, and presents an amalgamation of the memoir-biographic journal titled ‘Professor Abdul Bari’.
Khudiram Bose & Sheikh Gulab: The Holy Alliance of Freedom Fighters
Afroz Alam throws light on the concealed aspects of the President of Tata Worker’s Union and BPCC.
The book is articulated in simple language,facts are crystallized and authentic timelining of events makes it a swift read, ideal for fast paced millennial preference.
Professor Abdul Bari’s sacrifices for an independent India, his civic responsibility as a civil servant, and messiah of the poor, community engagement for educational welfare is documented in synchronized order.
but there lies an Achilles heel :
The author sometime slips into fan boy moment and this piece of literature appears as non-poetic ballad with subtlety missing.
Prof. Abdul Bari is crowned in laurels which he deserves but as a reader, one is bound to be more curious as to what led to Abdul Bari’s downfall: the fine details of political chaos he was dealing with within his Party, his weakness, failure, personal turmoil. Sadly these aspects aren’t detailed and mostly the text is inked in sugary diolomacy.
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Abdul Bari was a mortal and should be presented posthumously that way. Readers would like to know his erring side, how young Abdul Bari was, his political blunders, personal failure.
All that aren’t elaborated and criticism are sometimes conveniently made blunt.
But as the author promised more books to come, we can hope for the void to be filled. The book is overall a good swift read of wisdom.
Rating: ☆☆☆
Ambreen Fatima: MBA Finance Graduate with a sweet tooth for literature, history, and all that underrated. Part-time content writer, full-time caregiver.
